i have been feeling really 'off' lately and I am thinking perhaps I need to test.
I have been having cramps, lower back ache, tender breasts, weight gain (3 lbs) and mild breakouts, bloating, diarhea, chocolate cravings ... Like I am about to start my period. But, I ended on the 19-20 of this month. Could ovulation cause this?
Here's a short history. I have always had regular periods, 29 day cycle, 7 day menses, heavy bleeding, lots of discomfort. When I hit 20 years old, I had a year of easier periods before I went on BC. That lasted one year and I still had regular periods. I was off for 6 days before I got a +. That + was darker than the control and showed up instantly.After I had my son, I didn't have a period til he was 11 months. They started out double length (60 days) cycles and got closer together each time til I had a 32 day then a 29 day cycle. then I missed one. Spotted the day I was due, tested the next day. - neg for four weeks, the 4th week I got a very nearly invisible +. After my second son, I started my period at about 9 months and it was weirdly erractic til he was a year, then it settled down and has been average other than the discomfort I have a week after my period. I get cramps,bloating, and pelvic soreness (my right hip has nerve damage from my first c-section, then my second pregnancy caused my pelvis to seperate) starting about 7-8 days after my period, it lasts a week.
This time, however, according to my dates I was supposed to have ovulated on the 23. After my period there were a couple of days without bleeding, then a couple of days of brown-pink spotting, now this. I feel like it may be different this time because I am having weird reactions to food and hunger, I have been sleeping in the early evenings, I stopped nursing nearly a month ago and I am suddenly sore and leaking now. We always use condoms, but we know that they aren't always effective, lol. If they were, we'd only have one son.

I know that was long and drawn out, I guess I'm not making a whole lot of sense. What I want to know is, given what I wrote up there, do you think it has more to do with a wonky ovulation cycle or could it be something more? Did any of the breastfeeding moms here have this happen to them? And since I had my period, but I was supposed to ovulate only 3-4 days later (3-4 days ago) should I wait to test? I haven't charted for very long, I think 5 cycles, and I never really charted ovulation, just went by the symtoms and average cycle length. (that means I have no idea what I'm doing)

With your first son you went off BC and got a + pregnancy test 6 days later? Did I understand that right?

With your second DS you had a month of no period and then in the 4th week you got a LIGHT positive? Ok, so when you had him and they did your due date did they go from your LMP or did they date you by ultrasound? Did your LMP match up with the ultrasound (if they went that way?)

I guess I have never heard of someone having their period and ovulating 3-4days later (on a regular basis? I have heard of it as a once in a lifetime sort of thing, normally after you go off Birth control). You mention having issues a week after your cycle if I understand what you said it would seem like its just that.

What I DO know, is if you ovulated 3-4 days ago the egg most likely hasnt even implanted yet and it would be to early to feel any symptoms related to the pregnancy. (average implantation is 5-7days I believe)

If it were me I would contact your doctor. I am curious if there isnt something else going on.

Recently a mom on my birth club board started thinking she might be pregnant when her breasts started leaking and she hasn't breastfed since Dec! She also was having other little symptoms and took a test and got a super faint + and was a few days away from AF. She took another test 2 days later and it was a darker + so she finally accepted that she was pg!! She was TTC but just decided to take a break since it wasn't happening after 2 cycles. Anyway, I often have telltale pregnancy symptoms but I have an IUD, that gets scary because of the increased risk in tubal pregnancies. If you're concerned that you might be pregnant and wouldn't find out for awhile w/ an HPT because of your later pos. results before, than talk to your dr like the prev. poster suggested. Its worth a try. HCG has to be in your blood if you are pregnant, even in the smallest amounts so it would be 100% accurate. If they're not willing to do so until you've reached a certain amount of time w/out AF than you may have to wait it out or pitch a fit to get an answer. I usually have symptoms RIGHT AWAY, like days after conception. I have tested early with my last 2 babies, like 8dpo according to early u/s and had already been having symptoms for a few days before testing. Good luck and I hope you get an answer soon! Its never fun going through a neverending cycle of "am I?" with previous issues in that dept.

LOL, don't worry about that, half the time I don't understand myself either.
With my first, I was off 6 days before I was pregnant, I got the test + 1 week later. I wasn't too clear, sorry.
While I had never heard of ovulating so soon after a period either, I was told that it may be rare, but that means it's uncommon, not impossible. I also had a rare thing happen with my first child... my water broke on my third day overdue, I measured 54 cm, he was in position, engaged and ... nothing. Three days later, no labor. No dilation. He was born c-section and it was a good thing- his head was 15.5 inches and his ribs were 15.75. My second child, as I pushed, flipped audibly to occipital anterior and was being pushed not out, but into my hip my cervix got 'floppy' and was being pushed out. Both rare, but they happened.
I have talked with my doctor about it and it appears that I ovulate right near my period. We did LMP and a sono, my dates said (with my second) I was 9.5 weeks, the sono said that by size I was only 8 weeks. I argued with the doc alot because I knew when I had sex and when my period was. I went into labor naturally, the doc though it was early, but according to my dates I was 4 days overdue and my son was born over 8 pounds. The new doc I had after that agrees, I simply have a very odd ovulation cycle. I have never tried to chart my ovulation and I am fairly new to chartng my cycles, so forgive me if I am not too clear.
TwinKristi- I start having symptoms right away too, I have been doubted enough that I was beginning to wonder if i was the only one, Since I was TTC my first, I could accept that maybe I was really excited and imagined them (I don't think so, the test was + after all) but with my second, I was NOT TTC and I didn't want to be pregnant. In fact, Iwas in denial for a while. I refused to believe it. My second son was planned, but I got pregnant 9 months too soon while using a condom, I was really in a bad place then and it was a little traumatic for me, so I guess I tend to get a little jumpy when I have weird symptoms. i'll try and be patient and wait it out. No use in rushing, right?

Thanks for the replies, I guess I just needed to talk about it. there's nothing I can do but wait right now and if I am + I still will be in a couple of weeks, right? If not, that likely won't change either.

i dunno what to tell you than just wait a week or so and test.. '
im another one who knows early, i literally knew the day i got pregnant with my son, and told thomas and he thought i was nuts until i took a test hehe....

ok - so if I'm reading and understand this correctly - you are only abou 4 to 5 days past ovulation and implantation usually takes another 7 to 10 days on *average*. Sooooo - I would not test for at least 3 more days. Usually the earliest you can get a positive would be about 8 dpo (days past ovulation) but the normal is approx 12 - so I would wait at least 3 more days (thursday maybe) to test and then if it's negative I might wait until Sunday - that would be about 11 dpo for you.